Dijon France

Dijon

When we think of Dijon two things spring to mind: mustard and the Dukes of Burgundy. The latter made Dijon their principal city in 1000AD and during the reigns of four prominent 14th and 15th century dukes, Dijon experienced something of a golden age.,/

The dukes controlled Flanders, a region important for manufacturing, and this meant that art, science and learning were all brought to Dijon, which became part of France in 1477.

The centre is very walkable, especially as the main attractions are all contained between the gare SNCF on the west of town, and the place St Michel on the east. Place Darcy is where you will find the tourist office (03 80 44 11 44), which leads on to the rue de la Liberté and rue Rameau, the central axis of the town running west to east, mostly pedestrianized and lined with smart houses and shops. Place de la Liberation is closed to traffic, making it a popular spot to sit in a café, especially when the sun comes out. The place itself was designed in 1686 by Jules Hardouin Mansart, one of the Versailles architects.

The Palais des Ducs is situated in place de la Liberation. The former home of the Dukes of Burgundy is now the Hotel de Ville and was considerably altered during the 16th and 17th centuries so that only two of the original towers remain. The 15th century Tour Philippe le Bon on the west side is accessible only by guided tour, at a cost of about €2.30, and there is a good view from the top. On a clear day you can even see the Alps. The Tour de Bar on the east side of the palace was built in the 14th century and is home to the celebrated Musée des Beaux Arts (€3.40). The collection of paintings is almost overshadowed by the tombs of Philippe le Hardi and Jean sans Peur, the original kitchen, and the Salle des Gardes with its tapestries and panelling. Similarly, at 4 rue des Bons Enfants is a 17th century house that contains the Musée Magnin (€3). It is hard to know whether the paintings or the original furniture deserve the most attention.

Other interesting sights in Dijon include the Musée Archéologique at 5 rue du Dr Maret (€2.20) near the cathedral, which has a great collection of Gallo Roman artefacts and some Celtic jewellery from 950BC. The Cathédrale St Bénigne was built from 1280 to the early 1300s and is the final resting place of some of Burgundy's most important people. The colourful tiles and spire are visible from all over town, but the cathedral is of more interest as a landmark than anything else. The botanical gardens, however, are well worth the trek over to the other side of the railway tracks. Known as the Jardin de l'Arquebuse, they contain ponds, beautiful gardens and the natural history museum (€2.20) full of butterflies, stuffed birds and mammals.